I began reading (for the 4th time) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but I just needed SOMETHING NEW. So, today I hit up Barnes & Noble for some new reads.

I was told by a waitress at Yanni’s (my fave local Greek restaurant) that if I liked the Twilight saga and Vampire Diaries to check out the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. So, today I picked up Dark Lover (the first in the series) by J.R. Ward. It’s listed as a “paranormal romance” series which scares me a little since I am really not into romance novels, but hey – a tip is a tip!

I was thinking of purchasing Hooked on Phonics for Xander – but then I figured I would work up my own from the reader books I’ve been buying and the internet. I know I learned to read pretty early and my Mama sure wouldn’t have used Hooked on Phonics. I just remember reading with my parents as well as working in workbooks and such.

Weird and ironic things always happen to me. I can think about calling my mom or hubby and the phone will ring, or I can think of someone that I haven’t talked to in awhile and the next day they will contact me. Yesterday there was a super weird thing that happened to me …

I was asked to review a book called “The Skinny: Adventures Of America’s First Bulimic” written by Rayni Joan and just couldn’t find the time to read it until about a week ago. Yesterday I got a call from my career counselor at school and I have an interview for an internship at the Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment here in Virginia Beach (my interview is the 14th so cross your fingers!) The SAME DAY the book starts talking about one of the characters being interested in the studies of Edgar Cayce and goes into some of the things they believe.

I’d never HEARD of Edgar Cayce before yesterday. Yet I have two completely different instances of hearing about him that day. What made that happen? What made me wait to read the book until the very day the section about Edgar Cayce could match up to the job interview? See? WEIRD!

Now that I’ve done a little research I am so ridiculously excited about my interview though … this is right up my alley. But seriously – does this weird stuff happen to anyone else?

Recently, I had the opportunity to read an interesting (and might I add – hilarious) book called Educating Esmé written by Esmé Raji Codell. Ms. Codell is a nationally renowned advocate for literacy and literature-based instruction and is “one of the nation’s most sought-after voices for empowering teachers" (People Magazine) and a “Superstar of Education” (Scholastic Instructor).

Educating Esmé is the exuberant diary of Esmé Raji Codell’s first year teaching in a Chicago public school. Fresh-mouthed and free-spirited, the irrepressible Madame Esmé—as she prefers to be called—does the cha-cha during multiplication tables, roller-skates down the hallways, and puts on rousing performances with at-risk students in the library. Her diary opens a window into a real-life classroom from a teacher’s perspective. While battling bureaucrats, gang members, abusive parents, and her own insecurities, this gifted young woman reveals what it takes to be an exceptional teacher.

The diary itself is exactly the same as it was when it was first released , but there’s a new foreword by Katherine Paterson, author of "Bridge to Teribithia", and a meaty guide that’s been added called “Hit the Ground Running,” which I created to help new teachers do just that. The most common question I’m asked is, “Do you have any advice for new teachers?” Now readers will find over twenty-five really specific and hopefully pragmatic pieces of advice and also a comprehensive shopping list for the first-year teacher.

I am not a teacher and have never had any desire in this world to be one – but I am a parent and I know that children are curious, crazy and sometimes obnoxious little beings. This book shows kids in every one of those lights and shows how one teacher took it all in stride, made learning fun and taught her students valuable life lessons. I would’ve LOVED to have “Madame Esmé” as a teacher when I was young! Esmé is young, hip, inventive, sassy and an amazing writer. I was hysterical reading some of the comments that came out of her fifth graders’ mouths!

Educating Esmé is a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone who comes in any contact with children. Parents, teachers and care providers alike will benefit from the lessons and humor in this book. I know a few teachers and I know that they give 110% of their hearts to their students. They spend their own money to try and make their classrooms fun and engaging and often do not get any help (or credit … or assistance …) from the schools they teach in.

Teachers are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT and should be treated as such. It was eye opening to me to see just how many brick walls they run into trying to teach our children – and I’m not even talking about over-crowded classrooms. It’s high time we let our teachers teach and stop making them teach the answers to standardized tests. Our children need to learn – not determine how much money a school earns based on how high they score on a boring, hours long test. *steps off soapbox*

Esmé has been interviewed on CBS This Morning, CNN, CSPAN’s Book Talk, and NPR. The author of "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading" as well as numerous award-winning books for children, Esmé lives with her husband and son in Chicago, where she spent many years as an educator in Chicago public schools and now runs the popular children’s literature web site PlanetEsme, and the unique literary salon, The PlanetEsme Bookroom.

I’m sitting here on my couch waiting for my coffee to cool and my muffins to finish baking watching “The Sunny Side Up Show” or something like that on Sprout and lemme tell ya, on the subject of “Shows for preschoolers” this one takes the cake. It’s not a terrible show, in fact, the hosts are okay – the issue I have is with the “co-host” named Chicka – a chicken puppet – that doesn’t talk but squeaks! Like a squeaky dog toy! Over and over and over! AHH! It literally gives me a headache. Who the hell thought this up? They should be kicked in the stomach, repeatedly!

I thought originally that Yo Gabba Gabba was annoying, but it’s just weird – not annoying. CHICKA is annoying!

On another note, I began reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire last night and I’m already at chapter 9. I love it!